Rockstar Icon Designer - Kate McInnes [60]
KM What's the main style of your icon work and what process do you follow to create an icon from start to finish?
TS I, of course, like as much realism as possible in icons, but without using any photos or additional materials. The process of making icons is quite different, sometimes if an icon is easy I don't do any sketches, instead just make the icon straight away. In some situations if the icon is hard and I can't imagine it well, I do some sketches directly in Photoshop using a tablet. I have two types of icons: free icons and icons for clients, but I am thinking of selling icons on stock sites.
KM Do you have a source of inspiration? If so, how has it contributed to your style?
TS Sometimes I get inspiration by simply seeing stock photos, or watching a movie, and of course by looking at artwork of talented authors. My favorite author is Hirluf Bidstrup.
KM What's the most difficult icon you've ever had to create and why?
TS Usually an icon gets difficult only when I don't like the result, and trying to make it better can take a long time. Technically difficult icons are usually glass icons (diamonds) and fur. I once had to make an icon of a white furry puppy. I didn't realize it was so hard to do! It took me around two days to get results close to the fur.
KM Where do you see yourself and the field of icon design in 5 to 10 years time?
TS Actually I am not really in the race to be the best icon designer in the world, I just do it because I love it. Maybe I will find something new for me in few years. I got a feeling that future icons will be animated, which will also create many opportunities. As for style, still think the photorealistic icons still will be the leaders.
KM What's the biggest mistake you can make when creating icons and how can people avoid it?
TS Biggest mistake - to do the same artwork twice. You can make this mistake for different reasons, for example, an icon must be bigger, and you can't make it bigger without losing quality, so you have to draw it again. To avoid this, think carefully or ask your client if he will need a bigger icon or not. A second mistake may be that you lose your artwork because of technical problems (electricity goes out, Photoshop crash) so Ctrl + S often!
To avoid bad design, don't ever do big dark dirty shadows (most newbies do that), avoid ugly "MS Paint colors" (like bright blue, red, green etc.). Pay attention to the form - it's very important, even a heart shape can have millions of form variations.
KM What's the most important skill or trait to have for people who want to make icons?
TS An important skill is to understand how pixels work in Photoshop, (if you do raster icons). It's not as simple as it sounds, especially for small icons. You have to be somewhere in the middle between hard pixel icons, and soft blurry icons.
For software, you should know Photoshop well. Actually icon makers must have all skills as for any other artwork, you have to know how to draw, to have a good color sense, and a good understanding of composition. To be able create a good concept for an icon, you have to be able think broadly and at the same time narrowly, in order to create a perfect metaphor for icon symbolism.
KM Do you have any advice or tips for people wanting to break into the field of icon design?
TS The best way to show many people your icons is to share icons for free on websites like deviantART, or Behance. When I did my first icon pack, I didn't even wait for any feedback. I just did it because I thought it would be fun, but I received a lot of emails with compliments and job offers. I didn't expect that. So there are two ways: if you are a newbie in design, do icons and share them for free, but if you are really good and a pro, and you don't want to give icons away for free, then show them on a design website like Dribbble (but your icons must be REALLY good). In both cases, you will receive job offers.
Tatyana Suhodolska
artdesigner.lv
dribbble.com/lazycrazy
lazycrazy.deviantart.com